Monthly Events:
The WTM or Wellness Through Mindfulness is a community dedicated to offering free teachings on Mindfulness and related topics. It’s our goal to give you events that provide learning and experiences that allow you to continue to deepen your mindfulness practice. Events will include a talk, guided meditation, and time for questions and discussion. These events are suitable for all levels of practice. A few key points when registering:
- Events are scheduled on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month from 7 – 8:30 pm.
- These are free events.
- They are offered as In Person meetings.
- Join us for the In Person meeting at the Shaganappi Community Association Hall (2516 14 Ave SW, Calgary AB T3C 3V2)
- Join us for Tea at the In Person meetings at 6:30 – 7pm for a chat and to create community.
Please bring Indoor shoes for the meeting - For environmental reasons if you can please bring your own tea cup.
- If you would like to volunteer to help set up the hall please come at 6:15pm
- If you have any outstanding Library Books please bring them back to the In Person meeting
- After you register for the event, you will be sent a confirmation email with registration details on how to connect and participate in person.
- If you are unable to attend the live event, know that you can always view the talk on our website one week after the original date.
DONATIONS
At WTM all the events are offered free. The speakers and organizers are not paid. However we do have costs to keep these events happening. If you feel that they have been of benefit to you a donation would be greatly appreciated.
A minimum donation of $10-20 makes a big difference to us. Or whatever you feel you can afford or want to offer. Click here to learn more about a donation.
EDUCATIONAL FORUMS
These sessions are provided strictly with the intention to provide education. It is not a forum intended to deal with specific personal issues one might have. Wellness Through Mindfulness and the participating speakers’ content and presentations are not to be used as a substitute for counselling, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, mental health care, substance abuse treatment, or other professional advice by legal, medical, or other qualified professionals. It is the participant’s exclusive responsibility to seek such independent professional guidance as needed.
Schedule of Events:
SPECIAL ONE DAY MEDITATION RETREAT
Click Here to Register Now
After registering, if you are experiencing any problems accessing the event on the day of the meeting you can send a message to wtm.yyc@gmail.com
Join us for a 1 day MEDITATION RETREAT
MINDFULNESS PRACTICES FOR DAILY LIFE
Date: March 15th
Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm
Location: Shaganappi Community Association Hall
(2516 14 Ave SW, Calgary)
Join Us for a Transformative Experience!
Experience a full day of mindfulness and learn how to put the teachings into practice for everyday living.
This retreat is an opportunity to observe what is happening in the moment and respond with intention and compassion through guided practices, lectures, and Q&A. Whether you’re new to meditation or looking to refresh an established practice, you’ll be welcomed exactly as you are, and leave feeling clearer, steadier, and more resourced.
Retreat Highlights:
Understand the Mind:
Explore how mindfulness can help you gain insights into your thoughts and mental patterns, leading to greater self-awareness.
Calm the Body & Mind:
Learn techniques to ground yourself and promote relaxation through breathwork, fostering a greater sense of peace and tranquility.
Embodying Mindfulness:
Discover the connection between body and mind, and embrace the understanding that you are more than just your thoughts.
Your Instructors:
Christine Francoeur
Dr. Phil Blustein
Mary Wallis Ph.D
Pricing
Registration: $75
Lunch: Not included
Click Here to Register Now
Scholarships Available
We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to experience mindfulness.
If you need financial support to attend, please reach out to us:
Contact for Scholarship
Why Attend a One-Day Retreat?
Deepen Your Practice:
Engage with experienced teachers and fellow practitioners to enhance your mindfulness journey.
Inspiring Environment:
Step away from daily distractions and immerse yourself in a supportive community.
Practical Tools:
Leave with actionable tools to integrate into your daily life, helping you navigate life with mindfulness.
Click Here to Register Now
DONATIONS
We do have costs related to running of the WTM such as tech support, rental of the hall, Zoom and Meetup licenses. There is no payment given to the speakers or organizers of the WTM.
Donations keep us going and your support is needed.
A donation is suggested for coming to the event. Recommended donation is $10-20 or whatever you feel you can afford or want to donate.
Donations can be made here on the website or by cash at the meeting.
After registering, if you are experiencing any problems accessing the event on the day of the meeting you can send a message to wtm.yyc@gmail.com
LIVING WITH UNCERTAINTY:
Mindfulness for Worry & Overthinking
March 19, 2026 – 7:00 – 8:30pm
led by
Christine Francoeur
Uncertainty is inevitable—but the mind’s habit of worrying and overthinking is something we can work with using mindfulness skills. Learn practical, meditation-based tools you can use in everyday life—during health concerns, family stress, transitions, or unknowns that arise for all of us.
In Person at the Shaganappi Community Association Hall (2516 14 Ave SW, Calgary)
Join us for tea at the hall at 6:30pm
As a meditation teacher, I’ve seen how uncertainty activates the mind’s most persistent patterns: rehearsing the future, scanning for problems, and trying to think our way into safety. While worry can feel protective, it often tightens the body, narrows attention, and keeps us caught in repetitive thought loops. The good news is that these patterns are workable—not through force or positive thinking, but through training attention and changing our relationship to the thoughts.
In Living with Uncertainty: Working with Worry and Overthinking, I’ll teach simple, evidence-informed mindfulness practices that help you recognize worry early, stabilize attention, and meet anxious thoughts with steadiness rather than reactivity. You’ll learn how to distinguish useful problem-solving from rumination, how to interrupt the “what if” spiral, and how to come back to the present moment in a way that’s grounded and realistic.
The session includes brief guided practices and clear take-home tools you can use in everyday life—during health concerns, family stress, major transitions, or the ordinary unknowns that arise for all of us. You’ll leave with a practical framework for responding to uncertainty with more calm, self-compassion, and choice.
Christine Francoeur spent over 20 years in business development focusing on loyalty marketing and advertising. Receiving a life-altering breast cancer diagnosis and many losses in her family she was prompted to explore many areas of health and well-being. This resulted in her becoming a certified Clear Change Coach, yoga teacher, and mindfulness meditation teacher, she now guides individuals and groups on their own journey to experiencing resilience, clarity, and choice. Her compassionate guidance offers the opportunity to explore tools and experiences that invite personal growth and lasting change.
Click Here to Register Now
DONATIONS
We do have costs related to running of the WTM such as tech support, rental of the hall, Zoom and Meetup licenses. There is no payment given to the speakers or organizers of the WTM.
Donations keep us going and your support is needed.
A donation is suggested for coming to the event. Recommended donation is $10-20 or whatever you feel you can afford or want to donate.
Donations can be made here on the website or by cash at the meeting.
After registering, if you are experiencing any problems accessing the event on the day of the meeting you can send a message to wtm.yyc@gmail.com
LIVING FULLY TOGETHER:
Stories from 40 years on the Mindfulness Path
April 2, 2026 – 7:00 – 8:30pm
led by
Joyce and Jon Clark
Joyce and Jon will share stories and insights on the Buddhist path from their 40 years of living together, raising a family and living life as fully as possible. As a couple, they have found certain key Buddhist elements to be important for their ongoing relationship.
In Person at the Shaganappi Community Association Hall (2516 14 Ave SW, Calgary)
Join us for tea at the hall at 6:30pm
Jon Clark
Jon is happily married to Joyce with three adult children. He works as a geologist and loves to ski, curl and bike ride. He was lucky to be introduced to Transcendental meditation (TM) at age 13 and enjoyed reading Zen mind Beginners Mind by Sunryu Suzuki later in his teens. Joyce and Jon attended first attended a retreat in Thailand at a center created by Ajahn Chah in Thailand. They regularly attended a weekly sit with Shirley (Jayanta) Johanneson in the 90’s. Other impactful teachers in both the Theravada and Mahayana traditions were: Ayya Khema, Gunaratana, Joseph Goldstein, Lama Surya Das and Baker Roshii.
Joyce Clark
Joyce started investigating Buddhism academically, and quickly shifted into a home practice. She has attended numerous 7-10 day retreats, weekend retreats, family retreats and classes over the past 40 years. Integrating practice into daily life at home, with friends, and at work feels natural and easeful. One of her bigger challenges is practicing equanimity on the curling rink. Jon has been a steady meditation buddy, a calming influence and intellectual companion as they try their best to live a supported life together.
DON’T MISS THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN
FROM ONE OF THE MOST EXPERIENCED MINDFULNESS TEACHERS IN ALBERTA!
Click Here to Register Now
DONATIONS
We do have costs related to running of the WTM such as tech support, rental of the hall, Zoom and Meetup licenses. There is no payment given to the speakers or organizers of the WTM.
Donations keep us going and your support is needed.
A donation is suggested for coming to the event. Recommended donation is $10-20 or whatever you feel you can afford or want to donate.
Donations can be made here on the website or by cash at the meeting.
After registering, if you are experiencing any problems accessing the event on the day of the meeting you can send a message to wtm.yyc@gmail.com
CULTIVATING SATI
(Remembering/Mindfulness/Recollecting/Focusing/Awareness)
April 16, 2026 – 7:00 – 8:30pm
led by
Jayanta (Shirley Johannesen)
In our world today there are many interpretations of the word “mindfulness”. It’s important to investigate the usage and significance of such a word. I will approach it here as a part of the Buddhist Dhamma, and how the word is used today to help guide us on a spiritual path.
In Person at the Shaganappi Community Association Hall (2516 14 Ave SW, Calgary)
Join us for tea at the hall at 6:30pm
Jayanta (Shirley Johannesen)
Shirley (Jayantā), founder and president of Stretch Awareness, is an acknowledged and respected teacher of yoga and meditation. For over 50 years, she has studied and practised with a wide range of internationally known teachers. A well as her commitment to the inner work of Buddhist meditation, she is also deeply involved in compassionate action through teaching and mentoring student.
Jayantā is a founding member of numerous associations, including Sakyadhita Canada Association of Buddhist Women, Yoga Association of Alberta, Calgary Theravadan Meditation Society, and is a lay Buddhist minister in association with Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery in California.
NEW TOPIC OR SPEAKER
We are always looking for interesting speakers and topics to present at the WTM. If you have an idea for a speaker or topic please email your thoughts to: wtm.thebreathproject.org
Thanks from the WTM
VOLUNTEER
In order to create longevity and stability for the WTM we would like to incorporate as a registered charity.
If you are able to volunteer to support this endeavour please reply to:
wtm.yyc@gmail.com
With much gratitude,
WTM
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